Deep fried red tomatoes with cornmeal batter are delicious! You may have tried our popular Fried Green Beans with tempura and ready for another fun side dish. Use red or green to make this crispy vegetable snack in air fryer or pan fried.
Tomatoes fried with batter is our favorite way to enjoy these right out of the garden. You may have tried these with the green version but wonder if it can be done with others. YES it can! Making Fried Chicken Legs for dinner and don’t want to waste that oil? Make these as a great duo.
Now when I use a bunch of oil to make something delectable like this I like to use it for other things too. That is where our fried chicken cutlets come in too! Once you have your protein (or not) you can serve this crispy coated veggie with another comfort food and just sit back and relive the memories of old fashioned YUM.
These probably make you think of that great Jessica Tandy movie too right?? I mean that was a classic for sure. When we had a garden these grew like crazy and we had to come up with lots of things beyond sandwiches and salads to make with them. THIS was a favorite for sure and pretty cheap too.
We used 5 tomatoes that we will talk about below with ends removed, sliced thick. You don’t want them super ripe but just a bit tender.
Ingredient Notes
You will want some thick slices of red tomatoes, thinner for softer or I prefer thick so it keeps more texture to them and don’t fall apart.
What are the best tomatoes for frying?
Look for ripe tomatoes that are firm to the touch but not rock-hard. Firm will hold their shape better during frying and won’t turn mushy. While you want firmness, they should also be ripe. Overripe may be too soft and may not fry well. Look for pieces that have a slightly yielding texture when gently squeezed.
I like to add about 1/2 tsp garlic powder we like for flavor but onion powder would be another option you could use instead.
Buttermilk is better than milk for a thicker liquid to dip in so your breading will stick nicely. You can make this with milk and a bit of lemon juice if necessary.
Large eggs should be whisked in with the buttermilk to dredge slices in before breading. It is best for texture purposes to have them at room temperature if at all possible.
I like using some cornmeal for the outside to add a coarser texture and flavor but breadcrumbs would work too
What can you use other than cornmeal to bread tomatoes?
If you don’t want to use cornmeal at all you could use just the flour and more of it instead, or breadcrumbs. Italian style is better because it is denser and will coat better than Panko would hold up inside hot oil.
All purpose flour will coat the outsides too in order to create a thicker coating to crisp up better
Grated parmesan we like in the coating but this is an optional add in and not a must.
Keep in mind that the ideal for frying may vary depending on the specific recipe you’re planning to make too. For veggies I will go with something without any flavor, same goes with our fried spam recipe so you can taste all the flavors with that food..
How Long to Fry Red Tomatoes in a Pan
This will take 2 to 4 minutes per side. Flip tomatoes with a fork so both sides can get lightly browned and crispy. It is important to allow them to rest on top of a wad of paper towels when done too in order to absorb the oil or they won’t be as crispy.
How Long to Fry Red Tomatoes in Air Fryer
We include instructions below for this method but you will need 8-10 minutes to get them crispy on the outside with this method. The healthiest of the two because there is just spray of oil needed and honestly just as crispy as deep fried.
Dips
You could make our Mustard Dip to serve with these crispy fried red tomatoes. Mix mayonnaise with a dash of hot sauce for Sriracha mayo which makes a spicy dipping sauce that adds a kick to your bites.
Sweet chili sauce is one of our dipping sauces for chicken wings but is a sweet and slightly spicy condiment that works with these too. Combine mayonnaise with chipotle pepper or seasoned salt to make homemade fry sauce. Deep fried tomatoes taste best with this!
Tips
You want to first heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until a drop of breading fries immediately but not too quickly where it immediately burns. Basically follow how hot should oil be to fry steps we have here. Add battered tomato slices to your skillet in batches and fry until a golden brown color.
These are really really good with fried tilapia too. Use the same oil. Cook these first and then the fish and enjoy together for a full meal you’ll love.
Fried Red Tomatoes Recipe
Equipment
- 1 air fryer or pan for deep frying
- 1 Bowl
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- 5 medium tomatoes, just slightly tender but still firm, ends removed, sliced thick
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cup parmesan
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Place three layers of paper towel on a wire rack. Lay slices of cut tomatoes on the paper towel, allowing them to drain. Sprinkle all of the tomato slices with garlic powder.
- Allow tomatoes to drain for around 20 minutes in total, flipping them halfway through to remove excess moisture. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk buttermilk and egg together. In another mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
- Dredge each tomato slice in the buttermilk mixture then coat it in the dry ingredient mixture. Place battered tomatoes on your prepared baking sheet until all are done.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until it reaches 330 degrees F, where a drop of breading fries immediately but not too quickly where it immediately burns. Add battered tomato slices to your skillet in batches and fry until a golden brown color. This will take 2 to 4 minutes per side. Flip tomatoes with a fork. When done, place tomato slices on a plate lined with paper towel. Serve with basil and lemon wedges and enjoy.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made these in the air fryer and they cooked up to be perfectly crispy on the outside and fully cooked through on the inside! We enjoyed them as a snack with some salsa for dipping – delicious!
Even my kid that doesn’t love tomatoes sure loved these!! Yum!
I did the air fry option and they were great. Very crisp and yummy! We had them in sandwiches with arugula and mayo. Off the charts!! Thanks for another awesome recipe!
I’m not a huge fan of green tomatoes, so I’m so happy to have found this red tomato recipe!